Newsletter Issue #637: More Solid Evidence of Android Fragmentation

Posted By
Gene Steinberg
On
February 13, 2012 @ 12:00 AM
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News |
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If you’ve followed what’s happening at Google, and the ongoing upgrades to the Android mobile platform, you’ve no doubt heard about version 4.0, code-named “Ice Cream Sandwich.” It’s said to offer across-the-board feature and performance improvements. If you’ve chafed over lagging screen refresh and frequent crashes, no doubt you’d love to update your Android smartphone or tablet.

But actually getting that update may be a total exercise in futility. You see, as of the time I wrote this article, it appears that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus may be the one and only smartphone to feature Android ICS, although I realize others will be available soon. Right now, the other Android-powered gear you might want to buy will be loaded with a previous version of the OS, and it’s not version 3 or “Gingerbread,” since that was designed strictly for tablets. Instead, you will get a version 2.x OS bearing the same code-name, or maybe something older.